Rooted Chippenham Community Tree Nursery

by Ben Luger in Chippenham, England, United Kingdom

Total raised £4,090

£3,000 stretch target 17 days left
272% 53 supporters
Support Us

  Your donation will be matched

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 27th February 2025 at 9:00pm

Help us launch Chippenham's first Community Tree Nursery to grow and share free native, edible trees - for a greener, sustainable future!

by Ben Luger in Chippenham, England, United Kingdom

 donated match funding
Aviva Community Fund is providing live match funding

 New stretch target

We’ve already hit our stretch target - but we still need your support! Any additional funds we raise over our £3,000 target will provide a huge helping hand with our essential operations as a Community Interest Company, including improving our website and completing our annual accounts. We have plenty of rewards still available too, so please keep supporting us!


We’re launching the first ever Community Tree Nursery in Chippenham, Wiltshire that will produce between 500 and 1,000 tree saplings every year for the local community, grown by the community. 

We’ll grow native, edible trees from seed for residents to plant at home, school and work for free, as specimen trees and edible hedgerows. 

Building on the success of Rooted Chippenham, a community market garden initiative, Rooted Chippenham Community Tree Nursery will be entirely volunteer-led. Best of all, it will engage with hundreds of residents every year, raising awareness of the climate and biodiversity crisis and enabling meaningful community action.

Taking action against climate change

This funded project has the potential to leave a legacy of up to 6,000 native edible trees in the local community, that would otherwise not exist. This could result in the capture of up to 6,000 tonnes of atmospheric carbon during the lifetime of the trees - equivalent to the emissions of driving a car 15 million miles!

These trees will also help to mitigate the effects of extreme weather, made more likely due to climate change. This includes helping to reduce local flood risk and soil erosion by intercepting rainfall, enabling water to be absorbed into the ground more quickly and reducing surface water runoff. They will also help to cool the air during heat waves.

The trees will also provide a significant boost to local biodiversity throughout our community, creating a widespread network of lasting natural habitats that will support over 300 different wildlife species for generations to come.

How you can help

We can't make this happen without you! You can support this exciting project by:

  • Donating to this Crowdfunder
  • Sharing this Crowdfunder with your family, friends, neighbours & colleagues
  • Joining in the volunteer activities at Rooted Chippenham

This Crowdfunder is supercharged thanks to match funding by Aviva that will double your donation to help us reach our target (up to £250 on the first donation per person only). If you’re quick you can grab one of our brilliant rewards too!

Growing trees to benefit our community

Why do we need more trees? Because they're incredible! Here's how increasing the number of edible trees and hedges will benefit our local community:

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By focusing on edible trees, we will build on the mission of Rooted Chippenham to connect people to locally grown food and empower sustainability practices. The native, edible tree species we hope to initially grow include: Crab Apple, Wild Pear, Wild Cherry, Cherry Plum, Elder, Hazel, Blackthorn, Rowan and Silver Birch.

Our trees will be grown and supplied in a plug of soil with a nice healthy root system, meaning that once our community tree nursery is in full swing, we can give them away to residents throughout most of the year.

Connecting with people

Our Community Tree Nursery will be powered entirely by passionate local volunteers - a fantastic way for people of all ages and abilities to get involved and make a real difference! Whether you want to connect with your community, learn new skills, or simply enjoy the outdoors, there will be opportunities for everyone, including:

  • Group trips to gather seeds from local trees in the Autumn
  • Processing of seeds ready for stratifying
  • Sowing seeds in our polytunnel 
  • Transplanting seedlings to root trainer cells
  • Watering and general care and maintenance
  • Advising on tree suitability, planting and after-care

1734768566_20241221_080753.jpg   (Images of the Rooted Chippenham garden and our volunteers)

We also have the exciting opportunity to reach over 36,000 residents via social media, press coverage, our website and 1-2-1 conversations, creating a ripple effect of change and action.

How we will use the money raised

The money raised from this crowdfunding campaign will enable us to fully establish the Community Tree Nursery at our existing Rooted Chippenham site (located at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre) with all the equipment and consumables needed to germinate and grow a minimum of 500 saplings per year for at least the next six years. If we hit our stretch target, this will increase up to 1,000 saplings per year. The funding will also cover the cost of supplying free tree guards with our trees, to ensure they have the best chance of success.

To make this vision a reality, we need funding secured by March 2025. This will ensure we’re ready to grow trees for the 2025 season.

The good news? We already have all the seeds we need for our first year! They're currently undergoing overwintering stratification, a process that mimics natural winter conditions to help seeds break dormancy and boost germination rates, preparing to burst into life when sown in Spring 2025.

Expert support for our project

We have secured in-kind support from the amazing tree planting charity More Trees BANES, who are located nearby in the city of Bath. They currently oversee 17 Community Tree Nurseries and are on hand with all the advice and support we need, including visits to their established nurseries for knowledge sharing. 

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(Image by More Trees BANES of an established Bath-based CTN)

Get rewarded

We have some awesome rewards for you to claim as a special thank you for supporting this project, including specially signed copies of these amazing books!

1736192487_rcctn_book_rewards_collage_3x3.jpg

The rewards start at only £5 and include: 

  • Join the priority list for our first batch of trees
  • A choice of one of our favourite books, specially signed for us 
  • Family tickets to Westonbirt Arboretum 
  • Be an official sponsor of Rooted Chippenham Community Tree Nursery

You can also donate any amount without selecting a reward.

We must express our sincere gratitude to Katie Holten, Mike Berners-Lee, Jonathon Porritt, Jen Gale, James Piper, Natalie Fee, Derek Niemann, Charles Dowding and Archie Miles for kindly donating signed copies of their wonderful books. Also Westonbirt Arboretum for donating tickets to their amazing arboretum. We asked if they could support our Crowdfunder and they all said yes without hesitation. Thank you!

About us

Rooted Chippenham is a community market garden in Chippenham, Wiltshire, established in 2022. It is for the community by the community. We believe in mutual aid and see everyone as equal. Everyone can contribute at every level.

In only two years we have created a diverse green space that benefits the entire community and grows fruit and vegetables using sustainable practices, in allotment style beds and a polytunnel, using rain water harvesting. To date we have a community of 28 volunteers that regularly work together,  sharing the resulting produce for free.

Rooted is a CIC and is led by three directors, Vanessa Davey, Helen Barlow and Andrew Harmer, who along with countless volunteers, have made it the success it is today. The Rooted Chippenham Community Tree Nursery is led by Ben Luger, a local volunteer at Rooted and a Tree Keeper with charity Earthwatch Europe for the local Tiny Forest located in Monkton Park. 

Find out more about Rooted Chippenham.

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Rewards

This project offers rewards in return for your donation. Please select a reward below.

£5 or more

4 of 250 claimed

Join the priority list for our first trees!

We'll notify you when our first batch of free trees are ready so you can take your pick from our first crop! They should be ready to collect from our site at Rooted Chippenham from Winter 2025, but we'll keep you updated on their progress.

£15 or more

0 of 5 claimed

The Rubbish Book - signed book

A signed paperback copy of 'The Rubbish Book - the ultimate guide to recycling' by James Piper. A brilliant read and definitely not rubbish! Includes an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees. Increase your donation to at least £50 and we'll also add your name to our website as an official sponsor!

£15 or more

1 of 4 claimed

How to save the world for free - signed book

A signed paperback copy of the book 'How to save the world for free' by Natalie Fee. This book can’t save the world, but you can! Includes an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees. Increase your donation to at least £50 and we'll also add your name to our website as an official sponsor!

£15 or more

0 of 5 claimed

Hope in hell - signed book

A paperback copy of Hope in hell by Jonathon Porritt, signed by the author. One of the most urgent and inspiring books about the climte crisis. Includes an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees. Increase your donation to at least £50 and we'll also add your name to our website as an official sponsor!

£20 or more

4 of 5 claimed

The Sustainable-ish Guide to Living - signed book

A signed paperback copy of the essential book 'The Sustainable-ish Guide to Living' by Jen Gale. It's one of our favourites, we think you'll love it too. Includes an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees. Increase your donation to at least £50 and we'll also add your name to our website as an official sponsor!

£20 or more

3 of 5 claimed

How Bad are Bananas? - signed book

A signed paperback copy of ‘How Bad are Bananas? The carbon footprint of everything’ by the legend that is Mike Berners-Lee. Includes an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees. Increase your donation to at least £50 and we'll also add your name to our website as an official sponsor!

£20 or more

3 of 5 claimed

Compost - signed book

A signed hardback copy of the book 'Compost - Transform waste into new life' by Charles Dowding. The ultimate guide to creating successful, beautiful compost! Includes an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees. Increase your donation to at least £50 and we'll also add your name to our website as an official sponsor!

£40 or more

1 of 6 claimed

Ash - signed monograph

A signed hardback copy of the wonderful monograph 'Ash' by Archie Miles. A deep dive into the magnificent native tree that is now under threat due to Ash dieback. Includes an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees. Increase your donation to at least £50 and we'll also add your name to our website as an official sponsor!

£250 or more

Become a corporate sponsor!

We'll add your company name to our website as a corporate sponsor who made a significant contribution to our Crowdfunding campaign to launch RCCTN. Includes an extra-special shout out on our socials to say thank you, plus an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees.

£20 or more

5 of 5 claimed

The Language of Trees - signed book

A signed paperback copy of the best seller 'The Language of Trees' by Katie Holten. If you like trees, we know you'll love this. Includes an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees. Increase your donation to at least £50 and we'll also add your name to our website as an official sponsor!

£20 or more

5 of 5 claimed

A Tale of Trees - signed book

A signed hardback copy of 'A Tale of Trees - the battle to save Britain's ancient woodland' by Derek Niemann. The extraordinary untold story of what happened to Britain's ancient woodland. Includes an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees. Increase your donation to at least £50 and we'll also add your name to our website as an official sponsor!

£20 or more

1 of 1 claimed

How to save the world for free - signed book

A signed hardback copy of the book 'How to save the world for free' by Natalie Fee. This book can’t save the world, but you can! Includes an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees. Increase your donation to at least £50 and we'll also add your name to our website as an official sponsor!

£25 or more

1 of 1 claimed

Westonbirt Arboretum tickets for 2 adults & 2 kids

Family tickets for a single day entry to Westonbirt, The National Arboretum in Tetbury, worth £40! One of the most important and widely known arboretum in the UK. Includes an option to join our priority list for the first batch of trees. Increase your donation to at least £50 and we'll also add your name to our website as an official sponsor!

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